


Going To The Dogs

by orphan_account



Category: Adam Levine (Musician), Blake Shelton (Musician), Shevine - Fandom, The Voice (US) RPF
Genre: M/M, Shevine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-11
Updated: 2015-07-11
Packaged: 2018-04-08 21:02:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4320600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adam thinks it's time to add a dog to the mix and tries to get Blake interested in picking out a breed by watching the Westminister Kennel Club dog show. Will they find the right breed for them or are they starting to entertain the thought of a little more?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Going To The Dogs

**Author's Note:**

> This story originally appeared as "Doggie In The Window Shopping", written by LiterallyMare. I am now reposting it under the name of MimiRedCrow, after my stories were orphaned without my consent in May of 2014. If you have any questions or concerns about this, feel free to contact me with them. I am very thankful to AO3 for letting me repost and reclaim the stories I wrote and repost them under new titles.

A year ago, Adam wouldn't have been able to believe he would be living with Blake or have a relationship with him. A commited romantic relationship, not just a bromance. One they didn't feel the need to hide anymore, either. It was everything he could've asked for and so much more.

Moving in together brought some changes, of course, the smallest of them sharing a bed. While they didn't have to fight about who left the toliet seat up, they did squabble a bit about housekeeping. Blake wasn't exactly a neat freak, but Adam himself was a walking tornado. He wasn't dirty, but he was very messy. He knew it had to be frusterating for Blake to grasp the reality of living with a person who had ADHD. But he did and after a couple of months they'd worked all of it out more or less, though they did still have little flare ups now and then. Overall, though, they were more or less in domestic bliss. 

Another thing that had changed in the last year had been the loss of Frankie, Adam's beloved Golden Retriever. It seemed so strange not to have a dog in the house, and now that he and Blake were adjusted to living together, he wanted to fix that. 

He didn't expect it to be an easy sell for Blake. He liked animals just fine, but he seemed to prefer them outside instead of inside. So Adam had concocted a strategy for their rare day off. 

"You know...it's pretty quiet around here." He pointed out as they settled on the couch for a Sunday spent in front of the TV. "Too quiet, I think."

Blake raised an eyebrow. "If you're about to tell me you want to hear the pitter patter of little feet, you might want to remember I can't get you pregnant."

Adam laughed. "Yeah, well, I don't exactly want to be pregnant either. But I was thinking I really miss having Frankie around." 

"Yeah...I know you miss her." He looked sympathetic. "She sounded like a great dog."

"And you like dogs, right?" Adam smiled a little. "And I like dogs. And now we're used to living together..."

"Oh those kind of little feet." 

"Yeah." He picked up the remote. "Listen...I want us to do this together. I thought we could watch that big dog show. I tivo'ed it. We can make up a list of breeds we like and then do a little research and find something that will fit our lives. Something we can both agree on. I mean, I like rescue dogs too, but you can't predict their behavior like you can with purebreeds and...why are you staring at me?"

Adam noticed his partner was staring at him with a little smirk slowly widening on his face. He felt a little self conscious, to tell the truth. 

"Because you rambling on like you're asking for a raise in your allowance is cute." Blake grinned. "But yeah...I'm cool with the idea of getting a dog. I like dogs. I'll even watch that dog show thingie with you. Nothing on the damn TV today anyway. Besides, I don't want you coming home with one of those little shaky dogs or an ugly ass half bald dog." 

He wanted to point out there was no such thing as an ugly dog, but then decided better of it. After all, things were going his way. And he did want Blake to feel like he had a say in the matter. So he just turned the TV on.

"Hey...I know most of these dogs." Blake pointed out when the Hound group trotted into the ring. "Hell, I grew up with some of these dogs." 

They agreed the Afghan was too high matience and the Beagles and Basset Hounds were good breeds. Adam really thought the Bassett was adorable, though he wanted something he could work out with. And Blake though you didn't get anything prettier than a Black and Tan Coonhound. But so far there were no true stand outs. 

"What the hell is that?" He squinted at one of the dogs names on the bottom of the screen. 

"Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen." Adam read. "It's French, Blake. Uh...Petit probably means small. And he is small...." 

"It sounds like something they serve with Ecargotte." Blake frowned. "It's cute...but I'd like to be able to tell people what the hell it is without sounding stupid."

"So there goes the Portegues Podengo Pequeno too." He teased him back. "But you know...some of the hounds you liked were kinda cool." 

"Hunting dogs." Blake nodded. "Though I've never used a dog for hunting before...I wonder how hard it is." 

"Well, these aren't hunting dogs." Adam laughed as the tiny members of the Toy Group entered the ring. "Are we across the board against small dogs, or just the shaky ones? Some of these dogs are really pretty...but they look like they'd break too easy." 

"The only one I like are the Pugs." Blake frowned. "I don't like the idea of long hair, I can barely do my own hair."

"There's that Chinese Crested...they only have hair on certain places. They look like little ponies."

"Too girly." Blake frowned. "And what's up with all these dog's faces?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, their faces are all smooshed in. Is that supposed to be proof they're expensive breeds or something? I bet those puppies cost more 'cause of that. It's like...a status symbol for dogs."

Adam got up on the commerical break to get them some soda and chips. When he came back they were announcing the Non-Sporting group. He frowned a little as he slid in next to Blake. 

"What the hell is a non-sporting dog?" He mused. "Unathletic dogs?" 

"I...don't know," Blake started chowing down on the chips. "Some of these dogs are really messed up looking." 

He added. "Boston Terrier's kinda cute even with the smush face." 

"My cousin had one." Adam made a face. "He was hyperactive and batshit crazy. One time he was chasing this gallon milk container, the plastic kind, and when he got it he went insane. He ripped the whole thing into confetti in like two fucking seconds." 

Blake blinked. "Think if he got someone by the nuts."

"Exactly why we're not getting one." 

He chuckled and shook his head, popping the tab open on his diet coke. After taking a drink, the cowboy made a face. "Why the hell does that dog have a bald ass? Who comes up with these haircuts?" 

"The announcer says it's natural for a Lowchen." Adam shrugged. "I mean...Poodles have that silly clip, but it's supposed to be for hunting."

Blake snorted. "Try taking that thing hunting in Oklahoma. He'd get laughed out of the woods by the other dogs." 

"I admit...the butt pom poms make it hard to take Frenchie too serious." He laughed a little in return.

The last dog of the group was something Adam had never seen in his entire life. It was built like a Chihuahua but the size of a Lab. And completely bald but some straw like strands of hair on the top of it's grey head. 

"What the fuck is that?" Blake exclaimed. "That is the UGLIEST dog I've ever seen!" 

"There's no such thing as..." He trailed off, really examining the dog. "Okay, maybe there is such a thing as an ugly dog." 

"What IS it?" 

"A..X-O-L....fuck it, let's just rename him "Ugly Dog." 

Blake laughed a little and nodded in agreement. "I think...this isn't going very well." 

"I think you're right." Adam sighed and shook his head a little as the Herding group came on the screen. There were no real standouts there either. "I just can't seem to get enthused about any breed, you know? And I don't want another Golden because I don't want to keep comparing him or her to Frankie..." 

Blake blinked at the Puli, with it's coat that looked like black dread locks. "Well, you can't get any different than Rastafarian dog." 

"Okay...I give up. We've been sitting here an hour and a half..I can't take anymore dog show." 

"And my ass is going numb." Blake chimed in. 

Then he turned to Adam, studying him closely. There was that thoughtful expression on his face that Adam loved so much and almost always preceeded him saying something amazing.

"Listen...we don't have to be at the studio until two tomorrow. How about we get up early and go the animal shelter?" He suggested. "I don't think you really meant it about the rescue dogs..." 

Adam smiled a little. "I just wanted, you know, for us to do this together. It's not going to be just my dog. And it's a big step for us...raising something together." 

"We can do it together." Blake smiled. "But hey...why not give a mutt a chance? I think you have a good point about comparing another Golden to Frankie. And maybe this purebred thing isn't so great after all." 

"Yeah." He nodded and smiled a little. "I like the idea of saving a life too." 

But his partner fell serious again and he looked closely at Adam. "You know...I always did want kids. My Mom always said getting a puppy together is like a trial run on that. So maybe...we ought to get a puppy, you know? Just in case." 

Adam felt his heart rate speed up a little. He'd always wanted kids too, though he knew things were way too hectic for that right now. But he figured when he and Blake settled down together that was off of the table. And suddenly it struck him that maybe that was why he'd made such a big production out of trying to find a kind of dog they liked. 

It was an overwhelming thought when they were still dealing of the fallout from their relationship becoming known, but it was a really lovely one too. And the fact Blake's mind was going there meant, to Adam at least, that he was seeing their relationship as equal to what he'd have with a woman. Considering Blake hadn't been with a man before and Adam had only dabbled in the past, that had always been a fear of his, that he couldn't be what Blake needed. 

"Yeah," He felt his throat tighten a little with emotion. "I think we better get a puppy too..." 

Across the couch, their hands entwined. Who knew four legs and a wet nose could be a new beginning and a valdiation along with a trusted companion?


End file.
